Likud and Bennett face off

Likud goes to war against Jewish Home head over the demand to be appointed defense minister. 'Right-wing camp will not forgive him.'

Tzvi Lev, 17/11/18 17:30

Bennett, Netanyahu

Flash 90

Likud lawmakers slammed Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett over Shabbat for threatening to topple the coalition if he is not appointed defense minister.

Likud legislators alleged over Shabbat that Bennett's "ego games and honor" would bring down a right-wing government.

"With all of Israel's security challenges in Gaza and Syria, it would be a mistake to give Bennett the defense portfolio," said MK Yoav Kisch in an event in Shoham on Saturday.

MK Sharren Haskel added a cultural event in Kiryat Ono that Bennett is a "political strategist" and that "the right-wing national camp will not forgive him if we go to elections because of ego games and honor."

"If Bennett was a true ideologue, he would not only threaten to run for the defense portfolio a few months before they take place, and the religious Zionist community understands that Bennett is not an ideological security expert" she added.

Netanyahu had told Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett during a meeting on Friday that he will not appoint him as defense minister as he demanded.

Finance Minister and Kulanu chairman Moshe Kahlon had told Netanyahu earlier that he would prefer to have a snap election and opposed Bennett's becoming defense minister.

Following the meeting, Jewish Home sources said that the coalition was likely over, with elections to occur in March or February.